Wonderful Shu Qi

Toronto 2025 Interview: Shu Qi Talks GIRL, Finding a Film Grammar for Girlhood, and What's Next

Over the past three decades, Hong Kong-Taiwanese actress Shu Qi has inhabited some of the most memorable female figures in screen history. Now, she has turned her attention to directing. Her debut feature as director, Girl, premiered last week at the Venice Biennale, to great acclaim and many tears.

A highly embodied and visceral portrayal of a young girl's experience of daily life amid domestic abuse, Shu Qi's sensitive and sensory drama extends an outstretched hand of empathy to its young protagonist - and to her parents. It's a palm you'll be clasping tightly by the time the credits roll.
Screen Anarchy had the pleasure of speaking with Shu Qi about the film ahead of its premiere at the Venice Biennale. The interview was conducted in a roundtable format, paired with Kuriko Sato of Eiga - we've labelled the questions accordingly.

Eiga: I read in the production notes that you took 11 years to finish the screenplay after deciding to make a movie. Why did you take so much time? Was it hesitation with the story, or something else?
Shu Qi: First of all, it's thanks to the well-known master director Hou Hsiao-Hsien. Eleven years ago, he asked me: "Why not become a director?" I didn't expect that question.
I'm not a professional scriptwriter, so it took a long time. I had to write, revise, and write again. And as an actress, I had a full schedule. I had to make time to write.
I had to find inspiration too. I found that here in Venice actually, when I served as a jury member. I watched so many different films, and what spurred me on is that perhaps the arthouse landscape is changing. If I did not give birth to my film, perhaps I would lose the chance to do it.

Screen Anarchy: You seem to craft a fresh film grammar to accurately capture girlhood in this film? These experiences are depicted viscerally and feel highly embodied on screen. Watching the film, I thought of other filmmakers doing similar in the present moment, such as Yoko Yamanaka with DESERT OF NAMIBIA. How conscious were you to find a new film language to accurately capture these experiences?
The harmful experience at the hands of the family is the central topic, and talking about violence that comes from that place and all the sorrow, all the darkness from that is so heavy as a subject to talk about. There are two possibilities: you grow up in a family with that characteristic, and through a healing experience you reach a so-called normal life; the other is that you do not heal yourself, you continue to perpetrate the violence to others - there is still an open wound.
I didn't want to show the father hitting his daughter, because then all this cannot resonate. The little girl has to be immersed in her closet - that way, I can show in the theater how she is truly feeling.My aim was to really let the audience resonate with Hsiao-lee's inner world. So, no actual hitting, but all that recreation of perspective. That's my answer about the film language, because that was the base of my choice - what to avoid and what to really recreate.

Eiga: Is this movie more or less autobiographical?
The father's character is inspired by and made up of 80% my own father. But chatting with Hou Hsiao-Hsien and drawing from my experience with him, I learned when not to direct. Hsiao-lee's character is based on her actress' own performance decisions. I just have to guide the actors, observe. The film started with my own observation, right?
During the shooting period, Bai Xiao-Ying was 15 years old. She didn't just do what I wanted from the notes I gave, she was truly sympathetic with the character. Based on this logic of observation, I wrote the mother character and Li-li characters, which are added - they're not part of my own experience.
I didn't want Hsiao-lee to be Shu Qi as a character. In the end, if you want to reach a combined percentage, these characters are 30% my own experience. My own mother was more violent than that character.
I think not only in Asia, but all over the world, it's the case that a lot of families don't separate in the wake of domestic violence - they stick together. I think if the child is the object of the violence, it's so harmful and damaging to their life.
If you can come through self-healing, maybe you can get to the reconciliation with yourself, telling yourself that it wasn't your fault. If in the audience there are mothers and daughters, maybe we can stop the cycle and start a reconciliation process. And if there are parents, maybe they can learn to act differently.

Screen Anarchy: You've started your career with a feature that is very personal to you, as many first-time filmmakers often do. I'm curious, what are you hoping to pursue next as a director?
While we were making Girl, I actually wrote two other works. Now, thanks to the fact that I'm in competition with this film, I've become more ambitious. I hope the next work will happen thanks to strong critical reception and key sales. The next work will still center female topics - it'll be about the life experience of a female grown-up - about life and death.

Girl premiered at the Venice Biennale and screened in Toronto last night. It screens again on September 10 and 11.

Source: screenanarchy.com

9 months ago | [YT] | 54

Wonderful Shu Qi

Taiwan star Shu Qi makes promising directorial debut with family drama

Taiwanese megastar Shu Qi said that she used her troubled childhood growing up with an alcoholic father as the basis for her directorial debut which premiered at the Venice Film Festival on Thursday. Shu, one of the best-known actresses in Chinese-language cinema, spent 10 years writing “Nuhai” (“Girl”) about a toxic low-income family in Taiwanese capital Taipei, set in the late 1980s.

Following a shy and fearful girl called Hsiao-lee, it touches on themes such as domestic violence, alcohol abuse, and inter-generational trauma in a deeply personal tale for the star of a string of acclaimed movies. “The primary reason I was driven to make this film is tied to my childhood experiences, which left scars that remain with me to this day,” Shu, who left home aged 15, said ahead of the premiere.

“They’re healing, but reflecting on the past, those scars still feel present,” added the 49-year-old. After starting on a script a decade ago, she finished it in a flurry of activity in 2023 after being inspired by her experience as a jury member at the Venice festival that year.

“At the beginning of the writing process, I started from the prototype of myself as the main character,” she added, while saying the end result probably reflects about “30 per cent” of her own life. The film centres on the relationship of Hsiao-lee (Bai Xiao-Ying) with her menacing and frequently violent parents.
Her father, played by fellow Taiwanese actor Roy Chiu, is a frustrated mechanic who staggers home at night after heavy drinking sessions and takes his anger out on his wife and daughters.

“After shooting the film, I told my father, who is still an alcoholic, ‘Sorry, I put your story on the screen,’” confided Shu, who is a regular at European film festivals and is a member of Hollywood’s Academy.
Her parents still live together and — taking another theme from the film — Shu said she has often asked her mother why she doesn’t divorce. “They are still arguing, shouting,” she added. “It’s a repetitive circle and I didn’t know why they’re still living together, maybe because they like to hate each other?”

Shu left home as a teenager and headed to Hong Kong, still her home now, where she began modelling before moving on to films. In 2001, Shu starred as Vicky in acclaimed Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s “Millennium Mambo”, which many of Shu’s millions of fans consider her defining role. She said being a director has made her realise how much she owes to the filmmakers she has worked with over her 30-year career. “Their guidance enabled me to become a director, make this film, and bring it to Venice,” Shu, whose real name is Lin Li-hui, said.

“I truly came to understand something: as an actor, you may not realise it, but all actors owe their success to their directors.” “Nuhai” is one of 21 films competing for Venice’s top award, the Golden Lion, which will be handed out on Saturday.

Source: gulftoday.ae

9 months ago | [YT] | 48

Wonderful Shu Qi

Shu Qi becomes a director because of Hou Hsiao-hsien

Always thanking director Hou Shiao-hsien whenever she speaks about her directorial debut, Shu Qi recently revealed that it was the Taiwanese filmmaker who inspired her to become a filmmaker herself more than a decade ago.


In an interview with Variety recently, the actress-turned-director, who debuted her first directorial effort, "Girl", said that the idea of making the movie came around in 2011 when she was chatting with Hou about her doubts when it comes to acting.

"He suddenly said to me, 'Do you want to be a director?' I was shocked. I thought, how could this be possible? He said, 'How would you know if you don't try?' So, this idea took root in my mind," she said.
Shu Qi stated that Hou again asked her about it in 2013, when they were filming "The Assassin", expressing his confidence in her.

"After that day, I began the script writing journey for more than 10 years; intermittently, overturned, restructured, overturned, pondering for an ending for a whole year and then overturned and reorganised over and over. Every time director Hou saw me, he would ask about how my writing was going. Many of his ideas have always influenced me. He would talk about Hemingway's iceberg theory, that the story of a film is often the tip of the iceberg above water, so you have to explore the exposed part of the iceberg. When the bottom layer under the iceberg is accurate enough, the part above water can cause shock, with refraction of different scenery on different sides," she said.

Shu Qi said that the script was finally completed while she was in Milan in 2023, following her jury duty at the Venice Film Festival that year.

As to what inspired her to write that particular subject, the actress expressed, "Like I mentioned earlier, without director Hou's encouraging words, I would never have the slightest idea and drive to become a director myself. When I felt confused, he guided me, helping me write about what I was familiar with. Whether it was the places, the stories, or my life, I began with what I knew best: my experiences of growth."

Source: sg.style.yahoo.com

9 months ago | [YT] | 24

Wonderful Shu Qi

Shu Qi Opens Up About Her Directorial Debut ‘Girl’ and Confronting Childhood Trauma: ‘Those Dark Days Have Almost Become Invisible Scars’ (EXCLUSIVE) - PART II

I consider myself extremely lucky to have worked with many brilliant directors on nearly 90 films since I was in the film industry. Regardless of the directors’ different styles, I have learned a lot from them and nurtured myself. So when I encountered difficulties and obstacles in filming “Girl,” I could solve them and adapt very quickly. Adaptability is what I have learned from those directors. As for style, I chose a more immersive method for this film. But I’m not sure if I will use the same way in the next film. It depends on what kind of story I want to tell and how to tell it.


Casting 9m88, Roy Chiu and Bai Xiao-Ying brings together very different artistic backgrounds. What was your approach to guiding them into the world of “Girl?”
9m88 [Tang Yu-Chi] is a jazz singer and a very free-spirited, very talented woman. I think making this film put a lot more pressure on her, because the times she lives now are entirely different than what I filmed. So it was particularly a great challenge for her to be in the atmosphere of the 1980s. I often had to pull her back and reminded her that she was not a woman in the 21st century and therefore could not be free as a bird and choose her life direction. [Her character] did not finish school, and she was abandoned by her mother and despised by her father. So she was forced to leave home when she was just a kid. She had to find a shelter and had to stay with man so she could survive. I had to remind her all the time for her to embrace the essence of that world.
Roy Chiu is a very charismatic veteran actor and I felt at ease about him. After reading the script, he had his own ideas of immersing himself into the role. He knew how to express the man’s attitude and his way of life. And his mindset were very much attuned to mine. So it was very easy working with him.

Bai Xiao-Ying is a young actress of a new generation with a lot of potential. She had a particularly strong empathy. In the middle of filming, I rarely needed to direct her. She had entirely immersed herself into the role. So the production was extremely lucky to have her play Hsiao-lee.

The fact that the times of the film are totally different did not affect the actors’ performances at all.
The film is set in Taiwan in 1988, a period of economic optimism but also lingering social shadows. Why was that moment in time important for the story you wanted to tell?

Because this is my childhood trauma. That kind of childhood has created all kinds of problems and obstacles at the psychological level. But I am lucky, because I know how to fight back. Although my life after leaving home at the age of 15 was very difficult, fortunately, I am basically outgoing and unwilling to give up, and I am able to overcome difficulties. Now I am happy and grateful for what I have, but that doesn’t mean that the scars since my childhood will vanish. Those dark days have almost become invisible scars. Whenever they emerge, the creepy physical reactions through my whole body are so uncomfortable. If it gets serious, I would spiral into darkness. The background of the times is just an expression of the story. When the film was finished, I found that a story like this would take place in any era and in any family. So I hope that whoever comes to see the film would reconcile with themselves and their parents. For the audiences who are parents, if they are like the characters in the film, perhaps they would change the way they get along with their children, or they would wake up and reflect, so that the children in such an environment would get the love from their parents. I believe it is not that parents do not love their children; they just don’t know how to educate them. Perhaps they have their own difficulties or traumas. So I hope this film can save and relieve people in dire straits.


After this debut, do you see yourself balancing acting and directing, or has filmmaking opened up a new primary focus for you?

This is just my first feature film as a director. I always joke that I am a new veteran director, so I can’t say if I will have a new focus in the future. First and foremost, I hope this movie is a success and well-received by the public. Once I have a second film to shoot, I will consider a new focus.
For me, acting and directing don’t need to be balanced; they are two different professions, after all. I can only say that I am fortunate to have been an actor before, so as a new director making my first feature film, I hope I have taken less detours.


What are you working on next — both behind the camera and in front of it?
I don’t have any plans. I’ll just figure things out as usual. Right now, I just want to finish the busy work on hand as soon as possible and then relax and do nothing for a month. I’ll play hard and have a great vacation!


Source: variety.com

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9 months ago | [YT] | 18

Wonderful Shu Qi

Shu Qi Opens Up About Her Directorial Debut ‘Girl’ and Confronting Childhood Trauma: ‘Those Dark Days Have Almost Become Invisible Scars’ (EXCLUSIVE) - PART I


After nearly three decades as one of Asia’s most recognizable screen performers, Shu Qi has stepped behind the camera for “Girl,” her directorial debut that world premieres in competition at the 82nd Venice Film Festival, followed by a Centrepiece slot at the Toronto Intl. Film Festival. Set in Taiwan in 1988, the deeply personal drama follows Hsiao-lee, a withdrawn girl who finds hope through friendship with the spirited Li-li, even as her mother’s past echoes her own pain. The film stars Roy Chiu, jazz singer 9m88 and newcomer Bai Xiao-Ying.
The project began over a decade ago when director Hou Hsiao-hsien suggested Qi try directing. What followed was an intensive screenwriting process that saw multiple rewrites and complete restructuring before Qi finally completed the script in a Milan hotel after serving on the Venice jury in 2023.

You’ve spoken about Hou Hsiao-hsien encouraging you to direct back in 2013. What finally convinced you — more than a decade later — that it was time to make “Girl”?

Shu Qi: The idea of making “Girl” came around some day in 2011 when I was chatting with director Hou about some doubts about acting. He suddenly said to me, “Do you want to be a director?” I was shocked. I thought, how could this be possible? He said, “How would you know if you don’t try?” So this idea took root in my mind.
In the summer of 2013, during the filming of “The Assassin,” director Hou and I were smoking and chatting while waiting for the lighting. All of a sudden he asked me if I was ready to be a director. I didn’t expect that he would still remember this matter. With a great doubt in my mind I asked seriously, “Do you really think I can do it?” He said,

“Yes! What’s wrong with that? You can write it yourself. Start with what you want to say most.”
After that day, I began the script writing journey for more than 10 years; intermittently, overturned, restructured, overturned, pondering for an ending for a whole year and then overturned and reorganized over and over. Every time director Hou saw me, he would ask about how my writing was going. Many of his ideas have always influenced me. He would talk about Hemingway’s iceberg theory, that the story of a film is often the tip of the iceberg above water, so you have to explore the exposed part of the iceberg. When the bottom layer under the iceberg is accurate enough, the part above water can cause shock, with refraction of different scenery on different sides.

In 2023, I attended the Venice Film Festival as a jury. Seeing one masterpiece after another, I suddenly felt an urge to stop wavering and finish writing the script as soon as possible. So, after my jury duty, I decided to stay in Italy. I spent over two weeks in a hotel in Milan and finally completed the script that I had been intermittently working on for 10 years.

How did that long gestation shape the emotional core of the story?
I think it was back in 2009 when I was standing in the streets of New York and suddenly had an idea. I didn’t want to leave where I was, so I asked my friend to fetch my laptop for me. I then sat in a coffee shop, fearing that the idea would vanish, and finally finished writing the ending that had bothered me for a really long time. When I was back in Hong Kong, I immediately showed it to William Chang Suk-Ping (film editor), hoping that he would provide some feedback. Afterwards, I started struggling again, but not for long. I sorted it out and found my own logic. I turned it into an event that took place in 24 hours. I was thinking and writing, typing faster and faster. Then again, I realized that the underlying story couldn’t break above the water surface. So, I overthrew everything and returned to zero. I put the story on hold for a few years until one day, I felt that I didn’t want to mislead and obscure the facts. Although this story took place when I was little, I didn’t want it to be taken for granted. So, I figured it out, pointing the story to the fate between a mother and a daughter. Then, it all worked out.

How did being immersed in world cinema as a Venice juror influence your final draft?
Serving on the Venice jury was indeed a great push for me to decide on becoming a director. The atmosphere of the jury that year was great, and the discussion was also very intense; but I suddenly found that if I didn’t start working on my film, maybe it would not be happening anymore. After the Venice Film Festival, I had a job in Milan that would take place in 15 days. I decided not to go back to Hong Kong and drove directly to Milan. In a hotel room with a balcony, I arranged my own time every day. I committed to working on my computer on the balcony right after breakfast until 4 p.m. Whether I was inspired or not, I had to sit there after breakfast until four or five p.m. before I could leave that chair on the balcony. During those 13 days, I finished fixing the final script in one vigorous effort, two days early. I finally made it!

What drew you to this particular story, and why did you feel it was the right one to mark your directorial debut?
Like I mentioned earlier, without director Hou’s encouraging words, I would never had the slightest idea and drive to become a director myself. When I felt confused, he guided me, helping me write about what I was familiar with. Whether it was the places, the stories, or my life, I began with what I knew best: my experiences of growth.
“Girl” explores how family trauma can echo across generations. How much of that theme comes from personal observation versus artistic interpretation?

This story is based on my personal experiences, set against the backdrop of my family life. When I was a child, the economy was booming, and construction was everywhere. Cities were gray and dusty. Most parents worked hard for a living, and everything was new and not as advanced as it is now. We all started anew, ready to move towards a better future.

Because it was my first time as a director, I just wanted to interpret my film in the simplest, most honest and pure way. The audience can immerse themselves in the same space of “Girl” and the plain expression of life that leads to the conflicts and the tensions between the man and the woman, and between the mother and the daughter.
The film includes several scenes of domestic abuse. How did you approach depicting that reality in a way that felt both truthful and respectful to the subject matter?
Because it is true. When I was little, I was beaten inexplicably, and I did not know what I had done wrong. My father was roaring drunk as he came home. So I used the simplest and most direct way to depict the scenes where the man beats the woman.

But for the girl Hsiao-lee, I don’t want that her father would beat her up, and I don’t want the actors to have a trauma, so I adapted by creating surroundings, the sound of dogs barking in the dark alleys, the sound of motorcycles returning home and parking, the loud sound of the key on her father’s waist when going up the stairs, and dragging into the house, with a drunken pace and a muttering voice, the girl hiding in the closet while feeling all of it, listening to the danger slowly approaching her step by step. This fear in the darkness slowly caused the girl’s heart to beat faster, and the shadow that covered her could not be erased. Just like the girl, the audience would sink in the fear of the sounds, unable to breathe.

As one of Asia’s most recognizable screen performers, what was the biggest adjustment stepping behind the camera for the first time?
The biggest challenge is that I don’t have enough time! Because the scenes spread all over Keelung in the north [of Taiwan] and Taichung in the central [region of Taiwan], we spent almost half of the time in traffic. So we didn’t really have a long time for filming, which made me really anxious. After I wrapped “Girl,” I went to film for Bi Gan’s “Resurrection.” I had to wait hours and hours for my turn everyday, and the producer would come to me and say, “Excuse me, miss, but we will probably run overtime today.” My first reaction was, “Sure!” Because when I become a director, I can relate even more to the creative difficulties directors face.
You’ve worked with several master directors. Were there specific lessons from those collaborations that informed your directorial style?

9 months ago | [YT] | 32

Wonderful Shu Qi

Taiwan Makes Venice Splash With Shu Qi’s ‘Girl’ and Record XR Lineup

Taiwan is making waves at the 82nd Venice Film Festival with its most significant presence to date, headlined by Shu Qi‘s directorial debut, “Girl,” becoming the first Taiwanese film to compete for the Golden Lion since Tsai Ming-liang’s “Stray Dogs” in 2013.


“Girl,” a coming-of-age tale set in 1980s Keelung, represents Taiwan’s return to Venice’s top tier after more than a decade.

“Not only Taiwanese films but films all over the world face the same challenges in the market,” Shu Qi tells Variety. “So don’t overthink it. If you have the opportunity to make a film, seize it, tell your story and tell it right.”
Taiwan’s Venice footprint extends beyond the main competition. Joe Hsieh and Yonfan’s animated short “Praying Mantis” achieved another first, becoming the inaugural Taiwanese animated work selected for the Horizons short films international competition. The film is a pencil-sketch fable, rooted in Taiwanese mythology and presented in Taiwanese Hokkien.

Taiwan’s presence is further bolstered by master filmmaker Tsai Ming-liang’s new documentary “Back Home” screening out of competition and a restoration of his 1994 Golden Lion winner “Vive l’amour” in Venice Classics.
But it’s in the immersive media space where Taiwan’s presence is most pronounced. Six Taiwan-led or co-produced projects — “Blur,” “The Clouds Are Two Thousand Meters Up,” “Dark Rooms,” “Sense of Nowhere,” “The Shadow (L’Ombre)” and “La Magie Opéra” — have secured spots in Venice’s competitive XR program, many backed by grants and residencies from the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA).

“Taiwan has developed strong creative and production capabilities in both animation and immersive [XR] storytelling, gaining increasing visibility at international festivals and professional platforms,” TAICCA chair Sue Wang tells Variety. “These works feature diverse themes and styles with a high level of visual sophistication, and through their narratives rooted in local culture, they serve as an important window for international audiences to experience Taiwan.”

The momentum extends to the business side, with three immersive projects — “After Being Shattered Into Dust,” “The Amazon Gold” and “Poetics of Soil: The Wood Wide Web” — pitching for international co-financing at the Venice Production Bridge’s Gap-Financing Market.

Wang emphasized Taiwan’s unique technological advantages in the XR space: “Taiwan has a complete tech industry chain. Brands such as HTC, MSI, Gigabyte, ASUS and Acer are all established here. Taiwan is well-positioned and open to exploring innovations at the intersection of content and technology.”

The agency head pointed to previous successes, including Taiwan-based Flash Forward Entertainment’s collaboration with France’s Novaya on “Colored,” which won best immersive work at Cannes 2024, and director Singing Chen’s “The Man Who Couldn’t Leave,” which took the best VR experience award at Venice 2022.
The Venice showcase comes against the backdrop of significant industry challenges that make Taiwan’s breakthrough all the more remarkable. “One of the main challenges is that Taiwan’s market is still primarily domestic, with a need for more players capable of expanding internationally and bridging the value chain from midstream operators to large downstream distributors and platforms to strengthen exports,” Wang explains. “The industry consists largely of small and medium-sized enterprises, and much of Taiwan’s production is project-based, often without fully developed financial statements, which makes it more difficult to attract large-scale investment.”
To address these challenges, TAICCA has implemented strategic support measures. “As a key industry facilitator, TAICCA provides both equity and project investment, along with advisory support throughout the application process, to help the industry secure the funding it needs to grow and also offer production teams a clear pathway toward internationalization,” Wang says. “In addition, co-investment through the National Development Fund reduces the risk for private investors, attracting sector and enabling greater support for content creation, thereby fostering a healthier, more sustainable ecosystem.”

The agency has also forged crucial international partnerships to strengthen Taiwan’s global reach. “TAICCA has recently established partnerships with international studios including South Korea’s CJ ENM, MBC Plus, Something Special, Japan’s Asmik Ace, Singapore’s Mediacorp and France’s Cinéfrance Studios,” Wang says. “These collaborations promote international co-productions, creating diverse opportunities for Taiwanese creators — enhancing production quality and scale, expanding talent exchange and facilitating access to funding and international resources.”

“Overall, Taiwan is shifting from a primarily local development focus toward a dual-track model that combines both domestic growth and active international touring and distribution,” Wang adds, citing successful international showcases like the “Portals of Solitude” exhibition at New York’s Museum of the Moving Image.

Taiwan’s Venice 2025 presence signals the nation’s evolution from a regional cinema presence to a diversified content powerhouse spanning traditional narrative filmmaking, animation and cutting-edge immersive media — positioning itself as a key player in cinema’s technological future while maintaining strong cultural roots.

Source: variety.com

9 months ago | [YT] | 11

Wonderful Shu Qi

Shu Qi gets three works shortlisted at upcoming Busan International Film Festival

Shu Qi seems to be the focus of the 30th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), as three of her works will be featured at the festival next month.

The actress, who made her directorial debut with "Girl", which has already been selected to feature in Toronto and Venice, will also be joining the competition section in Busan.

Also in competition is Bi Gan's "Resurrection", which stars Shu Qi alongside the likes of Jackson Yee, Mark Chao and Li Gengxi.

On the other hand, Shu Qi's upcoming Netflix drama, "The Resurrected" will also be a part of BIFF's On Screen selections. The drama, which also co-stars Lee Sinje, tells the story of two mothers who resurrect a deceased voice phishing scammer to seek vengeance for their daughters' deaths.
The upcoming festival will be held from 17 to 26 September.

Source: sg.style.yahoo.com/

9 months ago | [YT] | 36

Wonderful Shu Qi

Shu Qi’s ‘Girl’ and ‘Resurrection’ Among Competition Titles as Busan Film Festival Unveils Lineup for 30th Edition

The 30th Busan International Film Festival has unveiled its most expansive program yet, featuring 241 official selections, with Taiwanese screen icon Shu Qi both starring in “Resurrection” by acclaimed Chinese director Bi Gan and making her directorial debut with “Girl” as part of a new competition section launched for the festival’s milestone edition.

The competition section features 14 films from Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, Iran, Tajikistan and Sri Lanka, with five directorial debuts and six films by female filmmakers. Ten of the competition titles will have their world premieres at BIFF, including Isabelle Kalandar’s “Another Birth” (Tajikistan/U.S./Qatar), Nagata Koto’s “Baka’s Identity” (Japan), Lee Jeahan’s “By Another Name” (Korea), Yoo Jaein’s “En Route To” (Korea), and Han Chang-lok’s “Funky Freaky Freaks” (Korea).

Additional world premieres in competition include Zhang Lu’s “Gloaming in Luomu” (China), Shigaya Daisuke’s “Leave the Cat Alone” (Japan), Lim Sun-ae’s “Seven O’Clock Breakfast Club for the Brokenhearted” (Korea), Vimukthi Jayasundara‘s “Spying Stars” (France/Sri Lanka/India), and Hassan Nazer’s “Without Permission” (Iran/U.K.).
Other competition entries include Shu Qi’s directorial debut “Girl” (Taiwan), Bi Gan’s “Resurrection” (China/France) starring Shu Qi, Tsou Shih-Ching’s “Left-Handed Girl” (Taiwan/France/U.S./U.K.), and Miyake Sho’s “Two Seasons, Two Strangers” (Japan).

The competition presents these titles vying for Busan awards in five categories – best film, director, actor, special jury prize, and artistic contribution, with winners receiving specially designed trophies created by Apichatpong Weerasethakul.

As previously revealed, Park Chan-wook’s “No Other Choice” will open the festival Sept. 17.
The festival’s expanded Vision section, reestablished as an independent section after long playing a pivotal role in discovering Korean independent cinema, now encompasses both Vision – Asia and Vision – Korea. Vision – Korea presents 12 Korean films including Son Kyeong-su’s “The Accordion Door,” Lee Kwang-kuk’s “Beautiful Dreamer,” and Jeong Seung-o’s “Coming of Age,” while Vision – Asia features 11 Asian films from other parts of the continent.
BIFF’s Icons section has expanded from 17 titles in 2024 to 33 titles this year. Notable selections include “The Secret Agent,” which won best director and best actor Awards at Cannes, “Bugonia” by Yorgos Lanthimos, and “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey” directed by Kogonada starring Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie. The lineup also features “Silent Friend” by Ildikó Enyedi starring Tony Leung and Léa Seydoux, and “Below the Clouds” by Gianfranco Rosi.

A Window on Asian Cinema presents 24 titles showcasing works by both established Asian filmmakers and emerging talents. These include Christine Haroutounian’s “After Dreaming” (Armenia/U.S./Mexico), Tan Siyou’s “Amoeba” (Singapore/Netherlands/France/Spain/Korea), and Bikas Ranjan Mishra’s “Bayaan” (India). Additional titles include Zhannat Alshanova’s “Becoming” (France/Kazakhstan/Netherlands/Lithuania/Sweden), Polen Ly’s “Becoming Human” (Cambodia), Yi Jing’s “The Botanist” (China), Lee Hong-chi’s “A Dance in Vain” (China), and Mariko Tetsuya’s “Dear Stranger” (Japan/Taiwan/U.S.).

The Window on Asian Cinema selection continues with Anoop Lokkur’s “Don’t Tell Mother” (India/Australia), Woo Ming Jin’s “The Fox King” (Malaysia/Indonesia), Tannishtha Chatterjee’s “Full Plate” (India), Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit’s “Human Resource” (Thailand), Tamara Stepanyan’s “In the Land of Arto” (France/Armenia), Leon Le’s “Ky Nam Inn” (Vietnam), and Fukada Koji’s “Love on Trial” (France/Japan).

Rounding out the Window on Asian Cinema lineup are Hasan Hadi’s “The President’s Cake” (Iraq/U.S./Qatar), Zhou Jiali’s “Raindrops on a Roof” (China), Riri Riza’s “Rangga & Cinta” (Indonesia), Hayakawa Chie’s “Renoir” (Japan/France/Singapore), Chen Jianhang’s “The River That Holds Our Hands” (Hong Kong, China/Vietnam/Korea), Seki Yutaro and Hirase Kentaro’s “SAI: disaster” (Japan), Mahde Hasan’s “Sand City” (Bangladesh), Cai Shangjun’s “The Sun Rises on Us All” (China), Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke’s “A Useful Ghost” (Thailand/France/Singapore/Germany), and Lai Yuqing’s “Whisperings of the Moon” (Hong Kong, China/Cambodia/India).

The gala presentations include “It Was Just an Accident” by Jafar Panahi, recipient of the Palme d’Or at Cannes and this year’s Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award, “Frankenstein” from Guillermo Del Toro, “Kokuho” by Lee Sang-il, and “Good News” by Byun Sung-hyun.

The festival expands its Midnight Passion section, featuring genre-driven films that balance artistic merit with broad audience appeal, including Japanese thriller “Exit 8,” “Protector” heralding the return of action star Milla Jovovich, and Tanigaki Kanji’s martial arts epic “The Furious.”

Competition Films:

“Without Permission” – Hassan Nazer (Iran/U.K.) World Premiere

“Another Birth” – Isabelle Kalandar (Tajikistan/U.S./Qatar) World Premiere

“Baka’s Identity” – Nagata Koto (Japan) World Premiere

“By Another Name” – Lee Jeahan (Korea) World Premiere

“En Route To” – Yoo Jaein (Korea) World Premiere

“Funky Freaky Freaks” – Han Chang-lok (Korea) World Premiere

“Girl” – Shu Qi (Taiwan)

“Gloaming in Luomu” – Zhang Lu (China) World Premiere

“Leave the Cat Alone” – Shigaya Daisuke (Japan) World Premiere

“Left-Handed Girl” – Tsou Shih-Ching (Taiwan/France/U.S./U.K.)

“Resurrection” – Bi Gan (China/France)

“Seven O’Clock Breakfast Club for the Brokenhearted” – Lim Sun-ae (Korea) World Premiere

“Spying Stars” – Vimukthi Jayasundara (France/Sri Lanka/India) World Premiere

“Two Seasons, Two Strangers” – Miyake Sho (Japan)

Source: variety.com

9 months ago | [YT] | 15

Wonderful Shu Qi

Shu Qi’s Directorial Debut ‘Girl’ Unveils First Clip Ahead of Venice Competition (EXCLUSIVE)

Shu Qi‘s highly anticipated directorial debut “Girl” has released its first footage, offering a glimpse into the intimate Taiwanese drama that will compete at the upcoming 82nd Venice Film Festival.

The film, which marks the acclaimed actor’s transition behind the camera, tells the story of Hsiao-lee, a withdrawn girl growing up in 1980s Taiwan whose world transforms when she encounters the vibrant Li-li. Set against the backdrop of Taiwan’s economic transformation in 1988, the drama explores themes of inherited trauma and the cyclical nature of family pain.

“Girl” stars Roy Chiu as Chiang, R&B singer-songwriter 9m88 as Chuan, and rising talent Bai Xiao-Ying as the protagonist Hsiao-lee. The cast also includes Audrey Lin as Li Li-li and Lai Yu-Fei as Sister.
Principal photography wrapped in late summer 2024, with the film reaching completion in June this year. Veteran producer Yeh Jufeng, whose credits include “A Sun” and “The Great Buddha+,” produced the project through Mandarin Vision Co., Ltd.

In her director’s statement, Shu Qi emphasized the film’s exploration of generational trauma: “This is a story that opens up a conversation about the powerful impact of one’s family of origin, for better or worse.” She noted that the characters “may reflect the frightening realities and shadows that many modern women faced in childhood – traumas that make reconciliation with family or even with oneself impossible.”

The film features cinematography by Yu Jing-pin, production design by Huang Mei-ching, and music by Lim Giong. William Chang Suk-ping served as supervising editor, with Lai Kwun-Tung as editor.

Shu Qi, a two-time Golden Horse Award winner and three-time Hong Kong Film Award recipient, collaborated with Hou Hsiao-hsien on “Millennium Mambo,” “Three Times,” and “The Assassin.” She was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2024 and most recently starred in Bi Gan’s “Resurrection,” which won the special jury prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

“Girl” will have its world premiere in competition at Venice, with world sales handled by Mandarin Vision for Asia excluding Mainland China, and Goodfellas for territories outside Asia.

9 months ago | [YT] | 8

Wonderful Shu Qi

Shu Qi’s ‘The Resurrected’ Among Netflix-Heavy Busan Film Festival Drama Lineup.

The 30th Busan International Film Festival has unveiled its On Screen selections, featuring six premium drama series that will make their world premieres on the big screen before hitting streaming platforms, led by “The Resurrected,” starring international icon Shu Qi.

The Netflix production, co-directed by Leste Chan and Hsu Chao-jen, pairs Shu Qi with Lee Sinje as two mothers who resurrect a deceased voice phishing scammer to seek vengeance for their daughters’ deaths.

The lineup showcases Netflix’s dominance in the premium Asian content space, with the streamer claiming four of the six selections. The international mix includes three Korean productions and three international series set to screen during the festival.

Leading the Korean contingent is “As You Stood By,” the latest suspense thriller from director Lee Jeong-lim, whose previous credits include the genre-bending hits “VIP” and “Revenant.” The Netflix series stars Jeon So-nee (“Soulmate”) and Lee You-mi (“Squid Game”) as two women whose deep bond is tested.

“Dear X” brings together an A-list Korean creative team, with co-directors Lee Eungbok (“Mr. Sunshine,” “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God”) and Park Sohyeon helming the TVING production. The melodramatic suspense series stars Kim You-jung and Kim Young-dae, with Kim Do-hoon and Lee Yu-leum in supporting roles. The story follows Baek A-jin (Kim You-jung), a woman who adopts a mask to escape her circumstances and climb to power, leaving destruction in her wake.

Rounding out the Korean selections is “The Murky Stream,” a period action drama set in late Joseon era directed by Choo Chang-min. The Disney+ series features Rowoon, Shin Ye-eun, Park Seo-ham and Park Ji-hwan in a tale of resistance against corruption, centered around Gyeonggang, a vital commercial hub of the era.

The international selections span Japan and Chinese-language territories. “Last Samurai Standing” is an action spectacle co-directed by Fujii Michihito, Yamaguchi Kento and Yamamoto Toru. The Netflix series, set in 1878 Japan, follows 292 warriors competing in a brutal survival game, with Okada Junichi and Fujisaki Yumia leading the cast.

From the same streamer comes “Romantics Anonymous,” a romantic series directed by Tsukikawa Sho (“Let Me Eat Your Pancreas”). The series pairs Oguri Shun with Han Hyo-joo as emotionally reserved individuals who connect through their shared passion for chocolate.

The On Screen section, launched in 2021, reflects the festival’s recognition of serialized storytelling as an evolving cinematic form. Each series will screen two episodes during the festival.

The 30th Busan International Film Festival runs Sept. 17-26, with the 20th Asian Contents & Film Market taking place Sept. 20-23.

10 months ago | [YT] | 28